The Lion King: To Be A Leader-Book I
by TLKGuru12
Summary: Young Kopa, firstborn son of Simba and Nala, is on the prowl for adventure, when he accidentally bumps into a cub, who unexpectedly soon turns out to be his best friend. But what do their parents have to say about their friendship? Soon, when the cub's mother sends Kopa flying to his supposed death, will he find his true family, and his place in the Pride? (Book II coming soon)
1. Prologue

Prologue

"_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala"_

The animals sing as they approach Pride Rock from afar.

"_Night; and the spirit of life; calling Oh, oh, iyo; mamela; oh, oh, iyo; and a voice; with the fear of a child; answers; oh, oh, iyo; oh, mamela; oh, oh, iyo;" _

Everyone arrives and Rafiki steps on top of the promontory of Pride Rock and shouts  
"_Ubukhosi bo khokho; we ndodana ye sizwe sonke!"_  
Back to the animals:

"_Wait! There's no mountain too great; Oh, oh, iyo; hear the words and have faith; oh, oh, iyo; have faith" _(chanting) "_Hela hey mamela_" "_He lives in you; he lives in me; he watches over; everything we see; into the water; into the truth; in your reflection; he lives in you_"

Rafiki slowly walks a little back, retrieving, a small, helpless male cub, from the mouth, of Queen Nala.

"_Ingonyama nengw' enamabala; Ingonyama nengw' enamabala_;"

Then he swings the young cub into the air as Mufasa bathes him in light. All the Savannah creatures bow down, and rejoice in respect for their little future king. All the trumpets, whinnies, brays, honks and tweets could be heard all over the Pride Lands, which gained attention from a certain lioness. Zira grinned maliciously, and quickly turned to her two children, Vitani, the cunning little huntress cub and Nuka, the idiotic, attention see**k**er,

"Go! Quickly now, to Pride Rock, find out what you can about this preposterous racket" she ordered "And be back with some answers, or Simba's kin will continue to rule the Pride Lands while Scar's kin rots out here like the both of you!" Vitani rolled her eyes, while Nuka whimpered and followed her quickly.

_(Repeat third verse)_

"_He lives in you; he lives in me; he watches over; everything we see; into the water; into the truth; in your reflection; he lives in you"_

_A male, huh?_ Vitani thought as she and Nuka reached the end of the mob of animals, trying to see what was happening, as the saw the little prince_, a pretty pathetic king indeed! _They could hear the little cub mews, even from the place where they were, which was about, 100s of feet from Pride Rock trying not to be seen.

"I think Simba and Nala had a cub," Nuka whispered. "And they are giving it a presentation," _Blechh! I never got a presentation when __**I **__was born! NO FAIR! _ Nuka thought.

"Well duh, egghead, what else would they be doing?" Vitani spat out, forgetting to be quiet. A male elephant heard them and spotted the two "Outsiders". He screamed as Vitani and Nuka fled to their mother, and which to the elephant, quickly alerted Zazu, who alerted the king.

Again!?" Simba shouted " I thought I told them to stay away, especially from our little Kopa," as he nuzzled Nala and then little Kopa. Simba and Nala finally agreed on the name Kopa because of its meaning, heart. He was the heart to them all, the heir to the throne. Kopa mewed happily, and his eyes begun to open, and the same mischievous red-orange gleam Simba had, but was tinted with a pale turquoise, that lined Nala's eyes with stubbornness and kindness. Simba gasped and Nala beamed with joy. Zazu interrupted this happy moment with

"Sire, sorry to interrupt but what are we going to do about THEM?" Simba looked a teensy bit annoyed but covered it up by saying

"We do nothing,"

"Simply nothing sire?! Oh, sire you simply _can't be serious!_" Zazu yelped looking very flustered.

"Zazu, we will do nothing until the next attack, so be on your guard, and with Kopa," Simba said placidly, leaving Zazu's beak dropping to the ground in surprise, as Simba turned to his son.

"Did anyone say _Kopa_ccino? Get it Kopaccinio, as in cappuccino? Aw, it never gets old," Timon strolls in laughing, and riding on Pumbaa's tusks. Simba shot him a look and Timon's laughter died down.

"Hello Simba, we just came to wish you good luck!" Pumbaa said smiling happily and proudly. Zazu flew away huffing "kings these days". Timon rolled his eyes,

"So, banana beak, finally found an excuse to make you kick those Outsider's butt?" Timon asked.

"Most definitely," Simba answered, nuzzling Kopa. Timon's jaw dropped to the ground, but nothing came out. Pumbaa smiled happily,

"Our Simba is certainly growing up."


	2. Chapter 1: Fighters Never Quit

**Author's Note:**

**I know this chapter is cheesy and short, but I wanted this story to be as much like The Lion King II as possible, even with a quote that is repeated like 5 times in the movie. (We are one, for example), and I couldn't think of another short quote, which is why, this chapter is called, why it is. By the way, the little purple or black star thingie that's ****underlinded, ****means that's where the song goes. I haven't written it yet, but it will be a separate songfic, so if you wanna read it you can. (I'll post when it's ready) The reason I'm putting a song is, like I said, is because I want to make it as much like The Lion King II as possible. :)**

Chapter 1- Fighters Win

"Wow! Young Kopa scampered to the summit of Pride Rock. "One day, this land's gonna be all mine, mine, all mine HAHA!" Kopa laughed. He noticed his father wasn't by his side. "Oh, well, better call dad, he promised me he'd give me some sorta kingly lesson today," Kopa scampered back to the den and pounced on his father and bit his ear, earning no response from the king, who snored on. Kopa rugged on his father's tail, to which Simba become quickly alerted of.

"Gack!" Simba yelped and glanced at his tail. "Kopa! What are you _doing_?!" Simba exclaimed. Kopa smiled cheekily

"Waking you up of course! What else would I be doing?" Kopa said innocently.

"What? Why?" Simba asked, confusedly. Kopa rolled his eyes.

"Because you said you would show me the _**whole**_ kingdom today!" Kopa shouted excitedly. Simba gave an enormous cat-style yawn and strolled out of the den, while Kopa happily bounced after him, earning many yowls of dismay from other lionesses.

Kopa looked joyously at his proud father who looked at him with glee. They chatted mindlessly as they walked out to the promontory. "Kopa, look, I want to tell you something my father told me," Kopa looked at his father as Simba's look saddened at the mention of his deceased father. "We are all connected in the Great "Circle of Life", and one of the steps for the circle to be balanced is death," Kopa shuddered at the thought of dying so soon. "One day, I won't be here, and you will have to rise as the new king," Simba explained. Kopa pondered on that thought for a while.

"Dad, when your like, you know _gone_, where will you go?" Kopa questioned. "Good question Kopa, well, kings of the past will go up in the stars, and will always be there to guide you, as will I," Simba said solemnly. "So, whenever you feel alone, look at the stars, and always remember, the kings are watching over you, ready to help and comfort you,"

"Wow! It's like you belong to this kind of cool club and you have to be a good royal to go there!" Kopa exclaimed. Simba chuckled.

"Kopa, do you want me to teach you something my father taught me?" "Sure!" Kopa shouted.

Simba leads Kopa to a clearing, where only a rock with a small, mindless lizard perches.

"Now Kopa, get down low," Simba explained as he and Kopa crouched down low. "Try, not to make a single sound..."

"Gotcha!" Kopa cried, then looked disappointed at his empty paws. "Aw, man!" Kopa sighed.

"Come on now Kopa, you can do it," Simba said as he took a cautious look at the lizard, who must be deaf. Kopa slunk down low and carefully approached the lizard. He jumped about four feet in the air as he took a nosedive toward his "prey", and missed epically. Simba encouraged him on, but after many many misses Kopa flopped down in the grass with a discouraged look on his face.

"It's no use dad, I'm useless," Kopa said, depressed.

"Oh, Kopa don't say that, you just need practice, remember, fighters never quit," Simba said comfortingly.

"Huh?"

"Fighter never quit, it means we all are fighters, fighting for what's best for us, but some don't care to fight and have others fight for them but they never win, but those who fight always win," _*****_Simba and Kopa happily scamper at Pride Rock. Simba gives Kopa a quick nuzzle and an encouraging smile as he himself climbs into the den. Kopa just wistfully looks toward the lands he would one day inherit

**Author's Note:**

**Like it? Hate it? R&R! 8)**


	3. Chapter 2: Meet 'n' Greet

**Author's Note:**

**Another short chapter, sorry. :P :(  
**

Chapter 2-Meet 'n' Greet

"Now Kopa, what are the rules for playing outside?" Simba questioned as he paced around his son. Kopa rolled his eyes and said, exasperatedly

"Don't go into the Outlands, walk only in the path you've marked for me and...-"

"Don't talk to strangers, Kopa!" Simba exclaimed

"Don't you think you're being a bit hard on him?" Nala who had just walked into the room said.

"Oh no, let's just let him do whatever he wants, how about that?" Simba retorted sarcastically, nuzzling his mate.

"Really dad? I can?" Kopa shouted excitedly.

"No." Simba answered stubbornly.

"Just run along now, dear," Nala chided, as Kopa scampered off.

"Hey, Timon, Pumbaa, watch out for Kopa, will ya?" Simba called.

"At your service, my king," Pumbaa bowed and hurried off as Simba rolled his eyes.

Kopa scampers past tall grasses and bulging stones, trying hard to follow his father's paw prints, while trying to evade them as well. The Outlands sounded so _mysterious_, so adventurous, so scary. But Kopa was willing to put his fear to the test and check it out anyway. But little did he know he was being followed. He heard a slight rustling sound behind him. He cautiously turned around and gasped in shock at what he saw. "Ti-timon, Pumbaa what are you guys doing here?" Kopa stammered accusingly.

"Checking up on you kid, what else would we be doing?" Timon said nervously. Kopa rolled his eyes and continued on his little adventure leaving Timon and Pumbaa far behind. "Hey Kopa, KOPA! Wait for us-s-s-s!" Timon shouted desperately. "C'mon Pumbaa, follow him, follow 'im!"

"Uh... Timon... I can't see him.." Pumbaa said-a-matter-a-factly.

"Ugh, Pumbaa, we gotta find him for Simba, or he might do something to us!" Timon yelped.

"Timon, I don't think he would _do _something to us, but oh well...FOR SIMBA!" Pumbaa shouted determinedly, racing up the path, as Timon closed his eyes in horror.

Meanwhile, Kopa sprinted across many 'a plains, and long grassy fields where gazelles and antelope grazed, until he was right across the log border of the Outlands. Kopa shuddered at his willingness to disobey his father. He closed his eyes slightly and carefully walked across the log, almost slamming head-first into a cub, just slightly older than him. Her fur was a scruffy, dark cream color, with dark indigo eyes and a small, yet very noticeable tuft on her head, complete with a dark strip on it. Her eyes held an almost dangerous, yet playful aura. She was rather skinny, and in the process of the making of a very-average looking lioness, just on the border of pretty.

"Hey! What do _you_ want Pridelander?" The cub snapped.

"Oh, oh sorry!" Kopa peeped. The cub's face softened a bit. "What's your name?" Kopa questioned.

"That's for _me_ to know, and _you_ to find out," The cub sneered.

"Oh." Kopa said, a little disappointed. "We'll my name's Kopa!" Kopa exclaimed enthusiastically. The cub's eyes widened.

"_The prince_?" The cub said incredulously,

"Yeah!" "Who else would I be?" Kopa asked excitedly.

"Oh, oh" The cub backed up a bit, "Well-well-well- I'm-I'm Vit-Vitan-Vitani," The cub, now called Vitani, stammered. Then she straightened up, and looked determined. "Why aren't you being mean to me, if your Mr. Princey-Paws and all? Pridelanders, especially royal ones are murderers!"

"Humph! Who told you _that?_ " Kopa asked defiantly.

"My mom that's who!" Vitani snapped.

"Well, I'm **anything** but mean, which is **why** I have **no** friends!" Kopa whispered sadly. Vitani looked as if she regretted what she said.

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that, I don't really have any friends either, everyone just wants to be friends with my little brother, even though he was just born yesterday, ONLY because he is the "**Chosen One!**" Vitanti sniffed. " Kopa looked sullen, but moments later his face brightened up.

"Hey! Wanna be _my _friend? Kopa asked, jumping up and down.

"Hey yeah! That'd be great!" exclaimed Vitani. Kopa smiled. It looked like he'd made his first friend...

"Kopa!" A voice called from behind him. Kopa turned around and came muzzle to muzzle with his father, who looked none too happy...

**Author's Note:**

**I'll give you a cookie if you review...**


	4. Chapter 3: Told Off

**Author's Note:  
**

**Another real short one, sorry I'm just trying to get these done quickly. Forgive me, and please review!**

Chapter 3-Told Off

"Kopa! What are you doing here?!" Simba yelled, eyeing Vitani suspiciously.

"I um, we'll I'm... uh...yeah," Kopa stuttered, embarrased and ashamed. Simba gave Vitani an icy stare, picked Kopa up by the nape of his neck, and carried him off.

"Kopa." Simba said sternly, after depositing Kopa on a rock afar off from the Outlands. Kopa looked sullenly at his father, not daring to meet his eyes. "Kopa, what did you _think_ you we're doing, talking to an Outsider, and most of all, **going to the Outlands**? Especially, when I told you **not** too?"

"I'm sorry dad, real sorry, you, you just made it seem, you know, so exciting," Kopa spoke soberly. Simba smiled a little.

"I did the same thing when my Uncle Scar told me about the Elephant Graveyard, only the _bravest _lions go there! Puh!" Simba chuckled, shaking his head at his past foolishness.

"Really dad?" Kopa asked eagerly. "What was it like?"

"Way too dangerous, there were hyenas trying to have me, Nala, and Zazu for lunch, unless my dad hadn't been there to rescue me." Simba laughed. "Now Kopa, I want you promise me you will _never_ go there ever **again**, understand?" Simba said sternly, putting emphasis on 'understand'.

"Yes dad..." Kopa said sadly. Then his face lightened up. "Can we go home now?"  
Simba rolled his eyes, and picked Kopa up, and walked aways to Pride Lands.

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When they got home, Kopa ran straight to his mother, and she nuzzled him lovingly.

"Oh Kopa you, bad boy! Don't you **ever** go there again alone, okay!?" Nala cooed.

"I didn't mom, Timon and Pumbaa were with me! At least, I think they were," Kopa answered, from his mother's tight squeeze.

"Speaking of which, where are those two? Your father sent them to look after you,"

"Looks like they didn't do a good job at it," Kopa grumbled. Suddenly, they heard Simba far away, yelling

"**Timon, Pumbaa! Come over here!**" A minute later

"Oh boy, Simba's gonna kill us!" Kopa and Nala burst out laughing and Kopa settled in for a nap, dreaming of all the adventures he wished to have, but could never have

**Author's Note: **

**Please, please R&R!**


	5. Chapter 4: My Deathbed

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for not updating for a while, I couldn't find time to update-XD-bad excuse-Beware this'll be shorter than most**

* * *

It had been many weeks since Kopa's encounter with Vitani. Secretly, Kopa yearned for a friend, a friend like Vitani. He enjoyed everything about her. Her attitude, her style of "playing", everything. It would be an understatement to say he hadn't found his first love. _Ohhh!_ Kopa scolded himself mentally. Vitani was an outsider after all, no Pridelander. He scowled ittiratbly at the ground and continued his short walk aimlessly to the water hole.  
After quenching his thirst, Kopa grumpily sauntered back to Pride Rock. "Daaad!" Kopa called into the den.  
"Yes Kopa?" Simba, just awakening from a nap, yawned.  
"Mind if I go for a walk?"  
"Okay,but be back before noon" Simba said smartly. Kopa rolled his rebelliosly and turned and walked away, Timon and Pumbaa secretly in tow, grumbling all the way.  
Kopa, sprinted across all the fields he passed before, not surprised to see the patches of green grass disappear as he came closer to the Outlands. (Scary music) Suddenly, a bone-chilling cackle resounded through the bareness of the grass, and the clatter of rocks. A dark figure, stepped slowly out of the shadows, plastering a menacing smirk on it's face. It's red eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. "Well, well little prince, what are you doing here? In the Outlands? All _alone?_" The shadow growled. Kopa shivered, and stuttered an answer:  
"I-I-..." The figure creeped closer, and soon revealed itself completely. It was a lioness, with a lanky, skinny body, that was long and fluid in motion. Her dust colored fur was stained with blood and dried mud and didn't seem to hold the Pridelander sheen. She had a rusty brown colored strip on the top of her head, which reminded Kopa of Vitani. He winced at the swollen memories of her. "Who- who-who are you?" Kopa stammered.  
"Who am _I _young prince?" The voice growled, as Kopa winced. "Well, I am-...the rightful queen, Vitani-whom you must have been acquainted with's mother!" And with that, she pounced on him, crushing the small cubs bones.

**Meanwhile**  
"Where is he Timon? You said you would watch him!" Simba moaned  
"I-well, Pumbaa-lost him," Timon said sorrowfully. Simba's ears stood straight up with sudden emotion  
"We have to go find him!" Simba roared, motioning the rest of the lionesses to follow him.  
Minutes later, he was running full-speed across plains and finally reached the border of the Pridelands. "Where is he? Simba asked Nala, getting worried. "He's definitely not in the Pridelands!"  
"I-" Nala started, but was caught off when Simba shushed her.  
"Da-a-a-a-d! HELP! HELP ME! SOMEBODY HEL-!" A scream could be heard from the Outlands.  
"That must be him!" Nala screeched. "He sounds like he's being tortured!" Simba raced deeper into the Outlands. He reached upon Zira, mangling his son.  
"Well, well Simba, what a nice surprise," Zira cackled.  
"Let him go Zira!" He shouted, trying to pin Zira down, though she dodged.  
"Hmm..." Zira pretend to think, "I don't think I will, Simba," "Now you know how it feels to have someone you love taken away from you!" Zira cried, hurtling Kopa into the Zuberi River, as Simba watched in horror, as his only son, was catapulted down to the dangerous waves of the Zuberi.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Very Short, chapter I know! Preferably my worst! :( So sorry! I always feel like I'm going to write alot, but then in the end, I end up writing like a short paragraph. For another great story, check out my other series The Butterfly Warriors were long chapters are promised. **

**Here's my game plan:**  
**Every other week, I will update each story; in an alternate order, so don't expect lightning fast updates, Ok? Thanks! Please R&R**


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